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General Information for

Merritt Woods Homeowners



Merritt Woods is a condominium community. Homes are individually owned and the grounds are owned jointly by the Merritt Woods Condominium Association (the “Association”). All homeowners are subject to the Association by-laws. A Board of Managers (the “Board”) elected by the homeowners is charged with enforcing the by-laws and rules governing the homeowners, and maintaining the property.

• There is an annual homeowners’ meeting during which Board of Managers members are elected, the annual operating budget is approved, and other Association business is conducted. Additional homeowners’ meetings may be called by the Board from time-to-time.
• The Board of Managers has 5 members including a president, secretary and treasurer. Each member also has a “portfolio” of operating areas for which they are responsible (e.g., grounds, snow removal, etc.). The Board meets as necessary during the year, usually monthly. Meeting minutes are taken and distributed to homeowners.
• The Board of Managers are volunteers who live in the neighborhood and receive no compensation for the time they devote to the maintenance and well-being of the community.
• The Association assesses fees on homeowners to pay for the maintenance and upkeep of the property. The annual level of fees and any special assessments, are determined by the Board.

Other than the few specific responsibilities of the Association described below, homeowners are responsible for all maintenance, repair, or replacement of their homes,  including roofs, siding, decks, gutters, HVAC systems, irrigation systems and septic systems. That responsibility is set out in  Amendment 7 to the By Laws, which is accessible by logging in to the Owners Only page of this website.

Any changes, additions or significant repairs to the exterior of homes must be pre-approved by the Board. Any work on the exterior of the homes must conform to the architectural style of the homes in Merritt Woods, including matching the exterior paint scheme and roofing materials.

Driveways

Maintenance, repair and replacement of driveways are the responsibility of the homeowners immediately serviced by a given driveway.

Landscaping

• Homeowners are responsible for maintenance of the landscaping immediate contiguous to their homes, including plantings and beds around their homes.
• They are expected to put down fresh mulch in those beds at least once per year, and keep them appropriately weeded and trimmed.
• Any plantings beyond the immediate perimeter of the home are considered to be on community land. New plantings or other improvements must be pre-approved by the Board. If permission is granted, the homeowner is responsible for maintaining those plantings and improvements, and that responsibility passes to future owners of the home.
• In order to maintain the attractive appearance of the neighborhood, and in light of the considerable expenditures made to maintain the landscaping, homeowners are expected to run their irrigation at least weekly, so long as permitted by town water regulations.

Trash Collection

The Association engages a service for collection of trash.

Propane Gas: 
Natural gas is not available to the Merritt Woods community at this time. Many homeowners opt to use propane for stoves/ovens, fireplaces, etc., which is stored in exterior tanks that are installed by licensed propane gas companies.

Water:
Merritt Woods gets its water from the Town of Scituate for household and irrigation use. Each homeowner establishes their own account with the town water department.

• Each homeowner is responsible for being in compliance with the Town's water restrictions, when applicable. This includes ensuring that your individual irrigation system operates in accordance with the Town's watering schedule.
• Repairs to and replacement of irrigation systems, including controller boxes, are the responsibility of the homeowner.
  

Septic systems: 
Merritt Woods is NOT on the Town's sewer system; we use septic systems. Each home has its own septic tank; some septic fields are shared between homes.

• The Condominium Association will schedule and pay for pumping out the septic tank approximately every three (3) years. It is the homeowner's responsibility to ensure that the pumping contractor has access to the septic tank, and that the septic system is otherwise maintained in good repair.
• Repairs to or replacement of the septic system are the responsibility of the homeowner, as set out in Amendment 7 to the By Laws. You can read this document by logging in to the Owners Only page of this website.
• Homeowners must use Rosano-Davis for all maintenance, repair and inspection of septic systems unless the Board authorizes an alternative vendor. The Association will not recognize requests for repairs recommended by any unauthorized vendor.

Electric and cable/internet services:

Power and broadband lines in Merritt Woods are underground, however they are connected to above-ground sources elsewhere. Homeowners should contact their electricity provider or broadband service provider if they are having problems.

• Roofing: It is the responsibility of each homeowner to maintain and replace the roof of their home. Roofs must be in compliance with the roofing architectural style of Merritt Woods homes.
• Painting:  Exterior house painting, including decks and porches, is done every five years by the MWCA. Between two and four homes are painted each year (typically in the fall season) on a revolving schedule.
• Gutters: Gutter cleaning is done annually in the late fall by the Association. Like roofing, gutter repair and replacement is the responsibility of each homeowner.

• Common Areas: The Association is responsible for maintenance and repair of common areas including lawns, trees, drainage areas, and the areas around the mailboxes and front entrance.
• Lawns: The Board engages contractors to provide mowing and fertilizing of the lawns, clean-up of lawns and beds in the spring, leaf removal and gutter cleanout in the fall; and maintenance of the front entrance and mail box areas.
• Snow Removal: The Board engages a contractor for snow removal from driveways and front decks. The plowing of Forest Lane is the responsibility of the Town of Scituate.
• Tree Maintenance: The Board engages a contractor from time-to-time for maintenance and removal of legacy trees that have fallen or are deemed to be a danger to residents and their homes.
• Street Lights: The Board engages National Grid to provide and maintain street lights.
• Insurance: The Association maintains insurance to cover damages to the exterior of homes caused by storms and other selected events; and to provide liability coverage in the event of legal action against the Association.